Link mat structure



May 12, c J. WOOD LINK MAT STRUCTURE Filed March 12, 1957 Y INVENTORI m%%mz BV fllam, $482, ATTORNL-KS.

States Patent LINK MAT STRUCTURE Charles J. Wood, Evergreen Park, 11]., assignor to Superior Rubber Manufacturing 'Company, Chicago, 111., a corporaiion of Illinois Application March 12, 1957, Serial No. 645,476

6 Claims. (Cl. 20-783) This invention relates to a link mat structure, and is particularly useful in connection with a door mat formed of molded links composed of rubber or plastic material.

One of the factors substantially increasing the expense of link mats is the fact that the mats have to be prefabricated to a selected size and either the dealer must keep a large inventory of finished mats on hand or else take orders for mats and wait until a mat of the required dimensions is received. The link mat is provided with a plurality of links united by cross wires, the wires being received within side strips, and the ends of the mat are secured to a nosing or border strip which is united to the mat in completing the structure thereof. If it were possible to construct the mat in links, without nosing thereon, and subsequently to cut the mat to the desired length at the dealers store and assemble the nosing there, a great saving would result, permitting the dealer to carry less stock and permitting him also to fill orders promptly with finished link mats.

An object of the present invention is to provide a link mat structure in which a nosing can be readily secured to the ends of a cut mat body to provide a finished link mat. A further object is to provide an improved link mat structure equipped with molded links adapted for ready union to nosing or border pieces whereby link mats of selected lengths may be readily formed. A still further object is to provide such a structure in which a resilient link member is equipped with means for locking it readily to a border strip. A still further object is to provide a method and means whereby a link mat can be formed into a plurality of mats, the ends of the mat being finished with nosing or border members in a minimum of time. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a broken top plan view of a strip of link mat material; Fig. 2, a broken plan view of a portion of the link mat with the end links of the mat being secured to a nosing; Fig. 3, a perspective view of one of the links employed; Fig. 4, a side view of the link shown in Fig. 3 showing the points where cutting is to occur for the union to the nosing strips; and Fig. 5, an enlarged sectional detail view, the section being taken as indicated at line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

In the illustration given, designates a molded link which may be formed as illustrated best in Figs. 3 and 4. The link is equipped with pointed ends 11 apertured at 12 to receive connecting cross wires and, if desired, the body may be provided with transverse passages 13 to increase the resiliency of the link body. The link body may be provided with any suitable number of verticalllyor outwardly-extending ribs or vanes 14 and 15 so as to exert a cleaning action upon the shoe of the wearer as he treads upon the vanes or ribs.

The individual links 10 are assembled in a known manner by the use of transverse metal rods 16 extending 2,885,748 Patented May 12, 1959 wires or rods beingturned and embedded within the side border strips 17.

In the practice of my invention, an elongated pad, as, illustrated in Fig. 1, either in strip or roll form, may be" shippedto the dealer, the rolls being in diiferent popular widths. When a purchaser desires a link mat of a certain size, he informs the dealer and the dealer then cuts through the end links of the mat and attaches thereto the nosing strip 18. A nosing strip is secured to each end of the selected mat and this completes the structure. I have provided a nosing 18 adapted to be quickly and tightly secured to the severed portion of a link, 10 so as to finish the end of the mat, as shown best in Figs. 2 and 5.

To aid in the severing operation, the individual links 10 may be provided with small notches 19 to indicate the points of cutting, or, if desired, these points may be indicated by lines or other marking, or, if desired, no indication as to the point of division may be shown on the link itself. As indicated best in Fig. 4, the link is divided along the lines 20 adjacent the notches 19 so as to leave a segment link 21 adapted to receive the nosing 18. The intermediate segment 22 may be thrown away. When the mat strip or roll as shown in Fig. l is furnished, one end thereof is cut to provide the attachment segments 21 so that the nosing can be readily secured thereto. When the length of the mat is determined, the cutting is accomplished along a line through the several links, the line being designated by the numeral 24 in Fig. l by way of illustration. After the mat strip of the desired length is provided, the nosing 18 is secured to each end, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, the nosing being threaded along the end so as to receive the upper and lower ribs or vanes 14 on the segment 21. For this purpose, the nosing is provided with an end recess 25 in the shape illustrated in Fig. 5, the recess having vertical upper and lower extensions 26 for receiving the ribs 14 of the segment 21. If desired, the nosing may be provided with a longitudinal recess 27 for increasing the resiliency of the nosing, and the nosing may be tapered, as shown in Fig. 5, or may be of any other desired shape.

The nosing 18 is preferably formed of a resilient material such as rubber, artificial rubber, resilient plastic material, etc. However, substantially nonrigid material can be employed for engaging the end segments 21 of the mat. I prefer, however, to form both the links themselves and the nosing of resilient material.

While, in the foregoing specification, I have set forth specific structures and specific procedure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A door mat formed of link members connected together by transverse members and having links at one end cut away to provide segments, and a nosing strip apertured to releasably receive said link segments and to form an interlock therewith.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which the link segments are equipped with outwardly-extending ribs and in which the nosing strip is provided with an aperture having rib-receiving segments for forming said interlock.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which the nosing is formed of resilient material and has flexible jaws adjacent the recess therein for engaging the link segments.

4. In combination, an elongated mat formed of severable links, the links being united by transverse rods and by border strips engaging the rods, said links having 3 4- ou' r lyx n ing bs, aidli and said order strips 6. The structure of claim 4; in which the end links being severab le to provide an end in which link segare severed at two places to provide separate mat lengths ments extend, each link carrying at least one rib thereon, having link segments at the ends thereof adapted to' and a. nosing strip having a slitted end and a recess receivenosingstrips. therein for receiving 'the link segments and the ribs of 5 said links, whereby the end of the mat may be closed by References Cited in the fil f this Pat t the afilxing of the nosing strip to said link segments.

5* The structure of claim 4, in which the segments UNITED STATES PATENTS are short and the nosing strip engaging the segments is 2,142,832 Bell Jan. 3, 1939 supported in abutting relation .to the ends of the border 10 strips. 

